The durability of electronic devices in harsh environmental conditions is of major interest in industrial and consumer electronics. In electronic applications, electronic assemblies are frequently exposed to corrosive environments (e.g., high temperatures, water, steam, acids, organic solvents, salt, etc. and combinations thereof) which can cause rapid failure of electronic components and circuits on the electronics assembly. In consumer electronics, the most common corrosive environmental exposures are accidental water spray or immersion. Electronics are commonly housed within a protective case or enclosure which is designed, in part, to limit exposure of the electronics assembly and components to water and other corrosive solids, liquids, and gases. The protective cases/enclosures typically do not provide complete protection and add volume and mass to electronic products.
An alternative to corrosion-resistant cases arises from encapsulating the underlying electrical components within device enclosures. For example, a thin film or protective coating can be applied to the electronic circuitry and/or components inside of an electronic device. This protective coating fully encapsulates and protects the electronic device from corrosive chemical species, such as water, without requiring a bulky external protective case. Such corrosion-resistant coatings are desirable for protection against incidental or accidental exposure to water and other corrosive species. For instance, a thin film coating may protect the electronic components of a consumer electronics device from corrosion, and eventual failure, due to high humidity, rain, spilled drinks, immersion or even full submersion in water.
There remains, therefore, a need in the art to provide alternative coatings that might be applied to the circuitry and components of an electronic device that offer extended protection from corrosive chemical species exposure, as well resistance to mechanical handling and wear and that might impart additional desirable properties such as electromagnetic resistance, oxidation resistance, or desirable optical properties.